Open Thread – Sunrise, Sunset…
I can’t recall a day that has ever had such a beautiful sunrise AND sunset. It was really breathtaking, especially with the snowcover that went through transitions from sparkling in the moonlight to pink to peach to tangerine and blue and all the way back again. Just beautiful…
Sunrise…
Sunset…
Wow, that is breathtaking.
Stunning!
Spectacular! Your backyard is just gorgeous, AKM!
(Somehow, I am resisting the urge to pour out some Sarah word salad about the splendor and the glory that is God’s power in the beauty he creates in Alaska, just for Alaskans to enjoy as they “Drill, baby, drill” to provide more of God’s richness in the form of natural resources that God has so blessed Alaska with, but that they might share with the lower 48, also. Too.)
Well, I guess I didn’t resist that well. Resistance is futile.
Gorgeous sunrise/sunset photos. Sometimes we’re so busy in the muck we forget to look up. Thanks for the reminder!
gorgeous and no utility lines in the way of picture taking.
wow – guess you have a couple of pictures for next year’s calendar.
A couple of week’s ago I was at a client’s house on the shores of Lake Champlain when I saw the best sunset of my life, Lake and Adirondacks with the sky behind – and I didn’t have my camera with me! But it didn’t hold a candle to either of these. stunning – and thanks for letting me wake up to this this morning.
Gorgeous photos!
just beautiful
Absolutely awesome! Reminds me of the stunning sunrises and sunsets I experienced while living on our smallholding in the Knysna area, South Africa.
Hmmm-
Interesting that SP’s FB page has no comment yet for DEC 7 Pearl Harbor anniversary. Unlike Sarah to miss another opportunity to spout her vainglorious BS at the expense of a national tragedy.
Amazing the beauty that so many take for granted. We do live on a beautiful planet. We must start taking better care of it.
Thanks for sharing such beauty.
Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Went over to Immoral this morning and he had written about his time at the Ball and mentioned “For The Rights of All”. Hit the link and then went to PBS. Our local TV is having a showing this Tuesday at 8. Now if I could only figure out how to tape Obama and FTRoA at the same time.
Great photos! I suppose it is merely a matter of time before Sarah, the alpha and the o-meg-a, takes full credit for not only taking the pictures, but also the fact that the sun rises and sets every day.
Those pictures..affirm..how ones ..Actual..connection to the..Real World..gives strength, coping ability and comfort-in-living. We all face life-death..and everything in between. If..in increasing ‘incriments’..we are ‘distanced’..from natural beauty..we become ..Alone..slightly-shattered….and..slow to heal. Tribal sorts..are not prone to these modern ills..as they see..Their world..in ..all lights, and therefor..are Never alone. We wrap the beauty, the fresh scent of a life to be busy and dealing/coping..around our actual shoulders..and our ..mental-emotional ones..and soldier-on. For all who see these pictures today..use them not just..for this moment in which you saw them..via a screen, use the image..to renew..Your ability to step..further outside, for ..Longer times. Healing..comes from..commitment..to acknowledging..there IS healing to be sought.
You could stand one of these shots next to a picture of s’error palin and ask… which one is the real beauty?.
Breathtaking indeed .
Gorgeous photos. Reminds us that even though the crazies might get us down, there is always something better to focus on if we just look for it.
AK is such a dichotomy. (holding up one hand) palin (holding up the other hand) sunrise, sunset
Amazing photos, thanks so much for sharing!
Rain in So Cal. That means the freeways are at a stop. Yuck!
….SJP weather
Yesterday I bought and read in one day ( could not put down until finished ) Have a little Faith” a true story” , by Mitch Albom . Have a little Faith is a book about a life’s purpose, about losing belief and finding it again ; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man journey, but is everyone’s story. Mitch Albom offers a beautiful written story of a remarkable eight year journey between two worlds-two men, two faiths, that will inspire readers everywhere.
Photos like these remind me that there are good reasons to live in Alaska!
Gorgeous photos! And to see those purples and pinks in both the morning and evening – WOW!
If anyone has tried to contact Ann or Anonymous Bloggers, you’ll know by now that the high winds have knocked out the satellite on Victoria’s house, so they are without internet service at the moment.
Freezing rain and sleet struck southwestern KY during the night and our winter is clearly here to stay. A great day to keep a pot of hot water on my wood stove, ready for my cups of tea, and a great day for curling up with a good book or my laptop – if my pooches will give me space for it.
It would be so nice if Sarah was not the headline on every news site today. Incredible that McCain thinks her book is good. I can’t believe he really read any of it. If he truly did and agrees that it was a good book, it doesn’t say much about his character.
Good morning from cold and snowy Colorado! Thanks for the gorgeous photos, AKM. They remind us that we are stewards of such beauty, and need to take loving care of it for future generations. What a wonderful birthday gift; I reached the big 60 today. As a cancer survivor, every day is celebrated…
Happy Birthday and congratulations!
AKM
Glorious! Such beauty inspires awe and deep gratitude.
Happy Birthday CO almost native! Thanks for sharing your celebratory attitude with us! Hope you have an extra special day.
Are these cloud formations a result of the HAARP project, located near Gakona, Alaska ?
Just kidding – just saw the recent special done by Jesse Ventura (Conspiracy Theory on TruTV) on the HAARP project, and it was beyond fascinating. Especially liked the interview with Dr. Nick Begich, brother of Senator Mark Begich.
HAARP is considered by many to be a ground-based Star Wars weapon, capable of creating tsunami’s, earthquakes, and human mind control.
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/
http://www.haarp.net/
Wow, fantastic! Once in a while we get some beautiful sunsets (sunrises too, though I’m not usually up to see those). But I don’t think any of ours compare to yours.
Happy Birthday CO almost native ! Every day is truly a gift. Have a great day and many more.
I saw the sunrise, and (ack!) didn’t have my camera with me! Beautiful pics!
So I looked at your weather report–expected high today 25.
Sunrise 9:58
Sunset 3:45
Would imagine it was a little earlier and a little later yesterday. Nice not to have to strain to get up early to capture a sunrise!
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200912070012
This just in….Leader of the birthers thanks Palin for her support.
Here is the headline…….Birther activist Farah thanks Palin for mainstreaming questions about “Obama’s eligibility”.
Seems Palin is painting herself into a corner.
Thanks for the beautiful photos AKM. I wasn’t posting over the weekend, but did read about the Muckraker’s Ball. Congratulations. There are so many of us who wish we could have been there, but we got to be somewhat thanks to cyberspace.
I am confused about McCain’s comments … he thinks the book is good, he acknowledges she lied about the money to vett her and the campaign staff, and he thinks she is “irrelevant.” Am I hearing the mixed messages right? I think Sarah needs to share her meds with McCain.
A message to AustinTX: Roll Tide!
That’s purdy.
ruh – roh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt/2443601412/
Now this is what I call hitchin’ a ride.
http://www.picmn.co.tv/2009/12/dolphin-lying-on-head-of-whale.html
Don’t forget to sign CREDO’s petition telling Quitty’s she’s full of crap on health care:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/sarahsfullofcrap/
They are donating manure in the name of all who sign to farmers in developing countries!
Word salad + turds = actual salad, hurrah!
Teutonic 13 @ #10- good question….why not take every chance to insinuate herself-? This might be the reason-when that letter from an “old soldier”: “I’m 95 and you need to get off the dime and get off my lawn, SON” started to circulate after Obama’s speech on Afghanistan, questions arose about the “letter-writer’s” statement of being in Hawaii, yet having a return address in Florida.
Someone commented on another blog (HP? I can’t find it-), said he had been a duty officer at the Battleship Arizona Monument, the ship sunk in Pearl Harbor with many men still trapped inside- and the name signed on the letter is on the list of names at the memorial. Is that sick or what? Using a dead sailor’s name for a phoney internet hoax.
Maybe that’s why Sarah won’t be posing at the Arizona- someone might start reading the fine print on the plaque-!
Lovely!
Many, many more Happy Birthdays to you CO almost native!
I caught part of the National Parks series on PBS last evening. It was so wonderful to see some of those glorious places we visited way back in the 1970s. We were fortunate to get a 6-month extension in addition to our 3-year tour there, but the Army just wouldn’t let us stay any longer, to our dismay and disappointment.
daiseydem –
Roll this baby !!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Hookemhorns.jpg
Oh , and Happy Birthday co native !!!!
Was that letter proven to be a hoax?
Beautiful capture, AKM. Stunning.
Happy Birthday CO almost native!!!! Have yourself a wonderful day !
For those who use twitter, the unfoldings in Iran are being live blogged using hashtags #iranelection and #16azar (probably others too but those are the two I’m watching)
Hmmm..there was something else I was going to post but it’s flown entirely out of my head. That’s happening a lot lately!
Hey austintx: I LOVE THAT PICTURE! you do know that my daughter has earned two masters and is currently in a Ph.D. program at UT? [She’s not a football fan; but her friends – a wonderful circle of Southwestern and UT graduates are!) My little blue VW bug has all kinds of stickers on the back …. Mudflats stickers, Obamanos sticker, ahem … “the end of an error” sticker, etc. + 2 “Keep Austin Wierd” stickers and some Longhorn stickers BUT no Alabama sticker (as yet). I backed into a parking space at our office this morning! Roll Tide.
Happy Birthday co native!
Regarding McCain’s recent statements about attacks on Palin. Interesting how he and Palin use the word “attacks” for fact-checking.
What’s wrong with the media (or anyone) fact-checking and pointing out her lies? How is that attacking? If she has nothing to hide or isn’t lying, then she should welcome the review of her claims.
Do you think that Gregory on Meet the Press would point this out? NO, he is such a dud.
Hey Austintx , What do you think of Bill White for governor ? I’m trying to figure out the best Democratic candidate . I would appreciate your opinion. Your San Antonio TX neighbor here. Thanks in advance.
AKM – I know it was probably not intentional – but now I’m doomed because all I can hear running through my head is the Fiddler on The Roof’s “Sunrise, Sunset” and it won’t go away. The only remedy I found when my sister did this to me on her own blog was to start humming the Carpenters. Oh, it’s going to be a long day (but the pics are outstanding so I forgive you)!
Andrew Sullivan and Levi are on with Joy Behar tonight. This might be interesting!
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/12/why-they-love-her.html
That sort of sunrise or sunset are all too fleeting. You just want them to go on for ever!
I’m so glad you could get such good photos of them.
Since this is an open thread, and it’s Pearl Harbor day, I thought I’d send this along. My office is in the local senior center. One of our regular guests is a great old guy I am quite fond of. Since he is of the right age, I thought I’d ask him where he was this day in 1941. He was a 1st Lieutenant at an Army air field in Luzon in the Philippines, firing his WW 1 era rifle at attacking Japanese planes. He was ordered over to Bataan and in April of 42, was part of the Bataan death march. He spent the next 2 years “as a guest of the Emporer”, as he calls it. He learned to speak fluent Japanese while in custody, which helped him as he went on to serve in the occupation force in Japan and Korea in the 50′s. I asked him if he had hard feelings against the Japanese, and he said he didn’t. They were good soliders, he said, and believed in what they were doing. After the war, he said, the Japanese had no hard feelings for us, so why should he behave differently? He is a Republican, but supports President Obama.: “The man is doing a darn fine job although he’s got a god-almighty row to hoe.” This old fellow is one of the warmest, most decent people I’ve met and is a true American hero. He is the one S’arah should be quoting on her Facebook page.
Mag the Mick,
What a great acquaintance. He sounds wonderful and exemplifies the kind of person that Republican party was. I miss those folks. I’m a diehard liberal, but always like to challenged by a smart republican.
@ Mag the Mick, thanks for sharing that and I agree with your sentiments.
I noticed that yesterday, too. Absolutely gorgeous … especially considering it was cloudy all day in between.
WOW! Awesome! Unbelievable! Beautiful!
How very blessed you are to have witnessed such a sight!!!
Thank You so much for sharing
That sunset is absolutely amazing. What a fantastic picture! Thank you for sharing it with us – it definitely made my gloomy Monday better.
austintx: clarification – I just read my previous post and it wasn’t clear that the two masters’ degrees are also from UT! My girl is practically a native Texan now. Actually, she does love Austin. And we love to visit her there; there is so much to do, and it is such a pretty city. I am a fan of Austin, TX on Facebook, and in real life too! Keep Austin weird.
Happy birthday, CO Almost Native…(sings) … And ma-ny moooore!!
Oh I just read somewhere that Ann Coulter was also going to be on the Joy Behar show too! Yikes.
Happy Birthday CO. Check the shoutbox on the forum.
I love sunrises and sunsets. What a natural gift. Thanks AKM!
Hey, if anyone planned on buying Obama’s campaign manager David Plouffe’s book “Audacity to Win” he’s going for a funn beat Scarah book sale today only, 1.00 from every book will be donated to childhood and adult literacy program.
I’m going for it, it will be a gift to myself and a personal swat from me to Scarah. SWAT!
oops, lol…..here’s a link to a video from David……
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/plouffe-tries-to-beat-pal_n_382578.html
Trisha & Teutonic -I’m very embarrassed re my posting about the letter from a 95 year old sailor to Obama. I was taken in by a claim that it was a hoax, but it is a real letter from a (fortunately) still living veteran. Snopes.com has the full report.
Will try to be less gullible in the future. Sigh.
wow~ how beautiful that sunrise~sunset!! That has to be my favorite..you out did yourself on this one…thanks AKM..
Having just seen these pics, I don’t think Mrs. Palin is going to run in 2012. She is in it for money and fame. Talk about mutton dressed as lamb!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/sarah-palins-hat-silly-or_n_382706.html
Is she planning on taking Paula’s place as a judge on American Idol? Either that, or she thinks she is Brittney Spears. Palin singing, OOPS, I did it again….I opened my mouth….I thought I was smart……..
I’m guessing her wig was in for a washing or she was reading this blog about her big hair and was mixing it up. She’s too old for that look.
This was an interesting blog I came across today via Sully. It appears to be a conservative blog and a lot of them are having problems with accepting Mrs. Palin as future presidential material. Of course, there are the usual Sarah fans there too.
http://volokh.com/2009/12/03/john-mark-reynolds-on-sarah-palin/
I don’t know how many amazing sunsets I missed while I was up in Seward because I didn’t keep my camera handy! Sunsets seemed to last longer up there due to the angle of the sun this time of year.
The Wisdom of our YOUTH
That was a beautiful speech.
AkM: Would you PLEASE stop making me jealous? Pretty-please?!?
COalmostNative: Happy Birthday!
Laugh now:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/jay-tea-party-nordlinger_b_382726.html
On the weather front (ar ar ar), we got our termination dust here in Groveland — seven inches this morning. Not as spectacular as AKM’s photos, but fresh snow in the country is pretty, nevertheless.
@CO almost native
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday dear CO almost native.
Haaaaaapy Birthday to you!
Have a great day.
All this Palin news has caused people to not focus on what we are really facing. SP is the distraction in purple boots. We allowed Bush distraction, which almost caused us the Country. SP is not so much religious; she is the person to gather the people to consume to the Religious Base rally. Lets stay focus.
Erik Prince: American Bin Laden – CIA Asset, Money & Gunmen
“The top people at Blackwater were CIA managers that ran al-Qaeda as an Agency asset until 9/11. Before he headed a Blackwater subsidiary, Cofer Black was CIA Chief of Station in Khartoum in the mid-1990s at the time that bin Laden, Abu Zubaydeh, KSM and many of the other principal 9/11 plotters ”
http://leveymg.dailykos.com/
Rachel Maddow Reporting
Pray Away the “Gay” or We Will Kill You…In JEEsus Name, Amen…. This is beyond horrific. Reprehensible. Barbaric. Religio-centric!
“We have a pattern…American ‘c’hristians forcing their beliefs not only on those of us in this country through Political Dominionism in the name of JEEsus! But in countries all over the world.”
http://godsownparty.com/blog/2009/12/pray-away-the-gay-or-we-will-kill-you-in-jeesus-name-amen/
They have been building up their followers for alot of years. This is huge!! They are all over the world. We have to band together to fight them or become one of them. Bush and Family did alot of damage; way beyond our belief.
Nice pictures, AKM and congrats on your award. From the pictures, everyone at the celebration seems so happy and having alot of fun.
Andree McLeod just filed ANOTHER ethics complaint – this time about the very questionable Alaska Fund Trust. http://www.palingates.com
Oh but the Palinbots are going to loose their collective little minds. Can’t wait.
WONKETTE!!!
http://wonkette.com/412570/sarah-palin-book-signing-is-very-complicated-system-involving-various-piles-of-books#more-412570
Sarah Palin “Book Signing” Is Very Complicated System Involving Various Piles of Books.
#78 LiladyNY. That website is a site that supports SP.
Actually, #77. The Palingates
Is she wearing a Fidel Castro hat? I knew she wanted to be a dictator…I just knew it. Ah-Ha!
@Claw Washout Palin
You must be mistaking it for a different site. There is NOTHING on Wonkette that supports $P!!!
From the post above:
“Sarah Palin came to Northern Virginia over the weekend to sign her ghost writer’s book, and she brought along with her the first snow of the season. (Friends call her Snow Miser.) Your Wonkette was going to go but did not, because shut up. Fortunately operative “Bruce” weathered the freezing cold to meet the Snowbilly and get his book signed — but was it really his?”
Palingates support $SP? Hardly. They are doing their very best to bring Palins various “gates” into the sunshine. Currently they have been in contact with Andrew Sullivan about Palin’s “Wild Ride” story on the birth of Trig. And they have discussed Troopergate, Housegate, and many many others.
Also too Mudflats links to Palingates on the sidebar.
Happy Birthday, CO Almost Native! AKM, thanks for the lovely sky photos. Everyone, thanks for the links (love the dolphin on the whale).
http://palingates.blogspot.com/
I think this is the correct link to palingates.
As I was browsing around the net today looking for a picture of wellingtons, I came across this cute little girl.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1025428/Pig-Boots-The-worlds-porker-afraid-mud.html
The first thing I thought of when I saw SP wearing her revoluntionary fighter’s hat in the snow was Fidel Castro. Would also make a great photoshopped image.
AKM those pictures are breath taking, thank you for being so generous with your talent and allowing us to share the glory that is Alaska. Just beautiful!!! There are only two places in the world I ever wanted to visit and they were Ireland and Alaska. Ireland for its beautiful countryside and Alaska not only for it’s natural beauty but for it’s wonderful wildlife.
Now I just wish I could get that song from “Fiddler” out of my head. Sunrise, Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset swiftly flow the years, one season following another laden with happiness and tears……. This could take a while!!! LOL
Thanks trisha. Sorry about the mix-up. : (
Mudpuppies there is a crisis about to erupt at the end of the month. All those who have exhausted their unemployment will no longer receive emergency extensions because the extension that President Obama signed on Nov. 6th was attached to the American Recovery Act which ends Dec. 31. I’m not sure why anyone didn’t catch this since it went from the House to the Senate to the President, unless that was the plan. The states have sent countless letters telling people their unemployment has been extended and now they have to send out countless letters telling them they will lose those benefits. Could you contact your reps asking them to extent the American Recovery Act for Unemployment and Cobra. If they don’t there will be many more homeless and hungry I’m afraid. If it’s not re-authorized before they break for the holidays that means people will go without benefits until they get back in session. Every little bit helps so any e-mails you can send to light a fire under them I’m sure will be appreciated by those who are about to lose the only life line they have at the moment.
Just spotted this latest on Palin – someone got mad enough at her to throw tomatoes and got arrested – what a waste of good ‘maters! He threw two, neither hitting Palin, but one smacked a police officer right in the face.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/man-throws-tomatoes-at-sa_n_383451.html
Congress extends unemployment benefits –
http://www.shrm.org/Publications/HRNews/Pages/ExtendJobBens.aspx
As expected, the U.S. House of Representatives acted quickly to pass legislation (H.R. 3548) that will extend unemployment benefits for up to 20 additional weeks. The House voted overwhelmingly on Nov. 5, 2009, to pass the legislation that the Senate approved with a unanimous vote just one day before.
The measure will provide an extra 14 weeks of benefits in states with unemployment rates less than 8.5 percent. Unemployment benefits will be extended by 20 weeks in states with jobless rates above the 8.5 percent threshold.
The legislation now goes to the White House. President Barack Obama has indicated that he supports the extension and will sign the measure into law.
LiLadyNY, no problem. Thanks for the heads up on the latest ethics filing.
I wonder, has anyone filed an ethics complaint against the ethics board that seems to be protecting Palin?
Helen (of MargaretandHelen’s blog has her review of the first chapter of “the book”:
http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/going-rogue-without-a-condom/
That review is hilarious. She calls it like she sees it. I love it.
Those types of military hats can be purchased in the teen department of J C Penneys. She must have borrowed it from her daughters. There’s also pictures of her in a crushed velvet coat with purple boots, love the boots but take the coat back to Goodwill Mrs. Palin, you look like a streetwalker, and lose the silver bag with the stars…also too. Your in your 40′s not 20′s. I think she buys any thing that she thinks is sexy and has bling!!
Andrew Sullivan is on Joy Behar tonight. It will repeat in an hour at 8 pm PST. He is on last after Levi and he breaks the “wild ride” story. He does a good job of raising the questions that should be asked.
Just watched Andrew Sullivan on Joy. WOW!!!!!!!!!
It was great – you must find online once available. He strongly stated how NO ONE questions Palin. Compared her failure to answering questions to Thatcher – who he said was the ultimate feminist – answered every tough question from every tough questioner.
!!
Here’s a link to KLCC public radio in Eugene OR City club of Eugene broadcast of political commentator Russel Sadler.
VERY good commentary. Mentions Scarah and glennnn and their part in politics today.
http://www.klcc.org/SearchResults.asp?txtKeyWords=+russel+sadler&cmdSearch=SEARCH+AGAIN&Match=AND&PageSize=10&chkTool=
For those who know Margaret and her friend Helen…Margaret is attempting to review Going Rogue. Maybe AKM should step in and save the poor gal. She is like 85 years old.
If you don’t know Margaret, you ought to. She’s one heck of a straight shooter!
http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/going-rogue-without-a-condom/
Interrupting contemplation of those beautiful almost solstice photos is blasphemy, but for a total laugh, got visit Wonkette. There’s a writup on a book signing and then a hilarious savaging af a Missouri pol who beats his mistress unconscious during sex. I know, I know, it’s NOT FUNNY but, well, the politician, Jetton, so much deserves it- may it follow him the rest of his life and into the next. And the comments are great!
One comment:
[former / current] [councilman / state senator / US Congressman] has been arrested for [f++ng / choking / photographing without consent / impregnating] an [underage pro++ / undercover male officer / black maid] while [misappropriating state funds / leading the charge to impeach an adulterous Democrat / posting embarrassing racist tirades on Facebook].
Breathtaking photos, AKM, and thanks for sharing such beauty.
Looking at them made me wonder…is there still smoke from Redoubt and does it have anything to do with the gorgeous colors in the sky?
Helen (of Margaret and Helen fame) has done it again! Thanks, overthemoon, for posting the link. It’s way past my bedtime here in NY but I can never resist Helen’s snarky and spot-on sense of humor. Here’s just a taste:
“Margaret, Chapter One of Going Rogue by Sarah Palin ends on page 62. That’s about 61 pages after it should have ended. It has approximately 19,500 words to it, but not one of them was worth reading. It’s all pure crap. If this chapter is any indication of what’s ahead, then it appears Mrs. Palin plans to spend the rest of her life getting even with the world by rewriting history. ”
http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/going-rogue-without-a-condom/
leenie
oops, you’re right, its helen who does most of the talking, not margaret!
That’s what I miss! Gorgeous beauty. Thanks for sharing!!! I always tell folks to visit Alaska in the winter – takes your breath away in more ways than one.
We here in Central Oregon have also had some spectacular sunrises and sunsets this fall/winter. Great photos, AKM!!!
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((co almost native))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
many happy returns of the day. many, many more years and blessings be yours…hugs and love….. bubs